RTD sets North Metro Rail groundbreaking

Denver's Regional Transportation District (RTD) will break ground on its north Metro Rail Line, the first Denver-area regional passenger rail line, on Thursday, March 20, 2014.

The ceremony will be held at 10:00 Mountain Time in Thornton, Colo., the future site of the lines 1245h Avenue Eastlake Station, RTD said.

RTD in a statement noted it awarded a contract last December to Regional Rail Partners (RRP) to design and build the first 12.5-mile phase of the line to 124th Avenue, the terminus of Phase 1. Construction is scheduled to be completed in 2018. An option allows the contract to be extended as funds become available to finish building the final six miles of the line.

When fully built, North Metro Rail, an 18.5-mile electrified line, will run from Denver's Union Station through north Denver, Commerce City, Northglenn and Thornton to Colorado Highway 7 in Adams County.

"North Metro is an important element of our plan to expand modern rail service across the metro Denver region," said RTD General Manager and CEO Phil Washington.